Bread

Bread were an American soft rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1968 by David Gates, Jimmy Griffin, and Robb Royer, later joined by drummer Mike Botts and, from 1971, guitarist Larry Knechtel in place of Royer. The group became one of the defining acts of the soft rock sound that flourished on American radio in the early 1970s, favoring gentle melodies, close vocal harmonies, and lush, understated arrangements built around acoustic and electric guitar.

Led largely by David Gates as principal songwriter and vocalist, Bread scored a run of hits between 1970 and 1977, placing 13 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including «Make It with You», «If», «Baby I'm-a Want You», and «Everything I Own». Their music prioritized melodic craftsmanship and romantic, often tender lyrical themes, distinguishing them from the harder-edged rock of the same period and aligning them with the broader soft rock and adult contemporary movement alongside acts like the Carpenters and America.

Though the band went through lineup changes and periods of inactivity, their catalog of ballads remained a staple of easy listening and oldies radio for decades, and their songwriting continues to be cited as a touchstone of the soft rock genre.